Fennel and Orange Salad: The Perfect Side Dish

Today I’d like to share my family’s favorite salad. It is really simple, but the combination of flavors works so well that the resulting dish is greater than the sum of its parts. I love fennel– it’s so fresh and sweet, and leaves such a clean taste in your mouth. Fennel and orange go really well together, and I love this non-traditional salad. This recipe is the perfect, fresh side dish for just about any meal– but particularly in the summertime. I love to serve it alongside chelo kebab or lamb kebab— and last night we had it with our grilled spatchcock chicken. We have never made it without having the dish disappear quickly– definitely no leftovers here!

What to do:
1. Thinly slice the bulb of fennel, as high up as you can before you get to the fronds. A mandoline is awesome for this job, but if you don’t have one, then you can just slice the bulb as thinly as possible with a good chef’s knife. Slice horizontally across the bottom, so you’ll get little crescent shaped slices of fennel. Put these on the serving dish.
2. Peel and slice the orange with a sharp knife. Start by cutting off the top and bottom portion of the orange, and then work around slicing off the peel in horizontal strips until the orange is bare. Cut that in half horizontally, then break it down into thick little wedges. Put the orange slices on top of the fennel.
4. Drizzle the olive oil over the top, apply the salt and pepper, and then squeeze a little bit of lemon juice over– this is your “dressing.”
5. Top with the chopped parsley, and serve.Enjoy! I think you will love having this salad alongside dinner on warm summery evenings. It’s also a great side for a nice brunch!

What is your favorite way to use fennel?

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About Ariana

Ariana Mullins is an American writer, cook, explorer and photographer. She shares her family's stories of challenge and adventure as expats in Europe, as well as inspiration for living a simple and meaningful life. She has a passion for restoring lost kitchen arts and loves to share her experiences in foraging, butchery, home brewing and anything new she can get her hands on in her Spanish kitchen.

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